Abstract:
Quantum dots (Q dots) contain a cadmium selenide (CdSe) center surrounded by zinc sulfide (ZnS) shell, which is coated with a phospholipid stabilizer. They are 2-5 nm in diameter and fluoresces different colors depending on the size diameter. Because of their small size they have a high surface to volume ratio. The large surface area has made Q dots ideal for numerous applications including biological applications.
The purpose of this experiment is to construct an aerosol generation and Q dot carrier system. A nebulizer generating 50-400nm particles will be used to aerosolize the Q dots using salt (NaCl) as a carrier. The particle concentration generated will be determined through microscopy and a direct reading instrument, P-trak. Fluorescent microscopy will be used to verify the presence of Q dots in the system chamber. The mass fraction of Q dots delivered in the chamber will be used to estimate the amount of Q dots delivered to mice.